The Doctor Entangled
by 1alphanumeric1
Summary: The Doctor Travels to the planet Solaria to enjoy the yearly Lantern Festival. But while there, he encounters an old nemesis. Or are they? Takes place between "The Waters of Mars" and "The end of Time" for the Doctor. One year after the events of the movie "Tangled"
1. Prologue

**PROLOGUE**

"Madame president, the prisoner you requested is here."

Romana looked up from the paperwork she was busy with. She flicked a recalcitrant strand of hair from in front of her face and looked up "Very well, show her in."

Both doors opened up and a cloaked and hooded figure in chains surrounded by four Chancellery Guards was escorted into the Presidential Office and was roughly made to sit down in a chair in front of the Presidents desk.

"That will be all Guards, you can wait outside." Romana said as she came around the desk.

"But Madame President, this prisoner is dangerous!" The lead guard protested.

Romana gave the guard a cold hard stare. "So your telling me that I, the High President Elect of Gallifrey, Keeper of the Seal of Rassilon, destroyer of the last great Vampire, should be afraid of this creature?"

Realizing he may have overstepped his bounds, the guard bowed deeply. "Um no, Madame President. But I would be remiss in my duties if I didn't warn you."

"I'm well aware of who this prisoner is, and what she is capable of, guard. If it makes you feel any better you can all wait in the hall. I'll call you if I need you." And with that, Romana waved a dismissive hand at the guards.

The guards all left Romana and the prisoner alone.

"Well lift your hood back, I'm not going to talk to a shadow." Romana commanded the prisoner.

The prisoner lifted her chained hands. "But your excellency, my poor hands are bound, perhaps you could do it for me?"

"I'm not that stupid. Now lift your hood. Now!" Romana ordered coldly.

The prisoner lifted her hood, revealing a wide angular face framed with curly black hair. "My goodness, you certainly do have the air of command down, don't you Romana?" The woman said she she leaned back in her chair. "Why it seems as if it was only yesterday that you were off gallivanting about with your precious Doctor, seeing the universe." The woman ran her her fingers through her hair doing the best to untangle her wild and unruly mane.

"How is the Doctor doing anyways? Or should I call him by his new official title, High Champion of the Timelords?" The woman asked.

Romana hesitated for a moment, "The Doctor isn't your concern. I have a proposition for you."

"Well don't keep me in suspense darling, I'm all a tingle." The woman said in a silky voice.

"You are probably our greatest scientific mind ever, especially in genetics. Even though your a stone cold psychopath." Romana said.

"Hmmmm, that's your opinion my dear, but I will agree with you about being Gallifrey's greatest scientific mind however. Do go on."The woman replied.

"So even though your too dangerous to be allowed to fight in the ongoing Time War, I have an assignment for you."

"And what would that be?" The woman asked.

"You will be given a SIDRAT, Some pure Gallifreyan essence and sent to a level four planet, where you are to look into the possibility of re-creating the Time Lord race."

"So the wars not going so well for you is it?" The woman replied. "Pity, but what did you expect when you put the Doctor in sole command of Gallifreys defences? A pity about what happened at Arcadia."

"Your Monster the Nightmare Child was responsible for THAT!" Romana said as she got right in the woman's face.

The woman just smiled, "Acceptable losses my dear. It did after all, take out Davros and the main Dalek Command ship."

"Yes, and then it turned on Arcadia and sucked the planet of it's life force dry! The Doctor was barely able to stop it!" Romana shouted.

"I told you and Rassilon what it was capable of. The creature was supposed to have been used against Skaro! But your precious Doctor said no. It's not my fault it got loose in a supposed protected sector."

"Well the Inspector General is looking into how that happened." Romana said And if I find you had anything to do with it, I can assure you, the suspension of your remaining regenerations will be the least of your worries." Romana hissed into the woman's face.

Quicker than she could blink, the prisoner lashed out and scratched Romana across her face with her nails.

Shocked, Romana jerked back, her hand going to her bloody face. She suddenly had a hard time standing. And fell back against her desk.

The woman examined her nails. "Oh dear, you made me break one. But still." Showing her nails to Romana, the woman continued on. "Do you like the colour? Being locked up in solitary confinement was so bad for them, not a single spa anywhere in sight! Fortunately a guard took some pity on me and brought me some wild tarn leaves so I could at least colour them."

"I guess I forgot to mention to him that tarn leaves are poisonous. Oh well." Shoving her manacles in front of Romana, her face grew dark. "Now unlock my manacles or you will die a silent agonizing death."

"Hurry up! You don't have much time." The woman insisted "I have the antidote, but if you don't take it withing the next five minutes it won't work!"

Romana weakly whispered something. The woman leaned in to hear her better.

"The... moment... I die, so... do... you." Romana gasped.

"Your bluffing." The woman said.

"Try... me." Romana gasped.

The woman looked into Romana's eyes. She saw anger there, as well as determination.

But not a single trace of fear.

Both of them stared at each other. Neither willing to give in.

Finally the woman relented. "Oh, all right." She took off a shoe, and scratched Romana with a toe nail.

Instantly, Romana began to feel better.

"Can't blame a girl for trying can you?" The woman smiled sweetly.

"No. I can't." Romana said.

The punch Romana threw, knocked the woman back into her chair, rocking her back and over, sprawling her hard into the doors of the Presidents office.

The noise made the guards rush into her office. They saw their president holding a cloth to her bloodied face. They roughly grabbed the woman laying on the floor and dragged her to her feet.

"Get that thing out of here!" The head guard shouted.

"Stop!" Romana said holding her hand up.

Everyone froze.

Romana walked over to the woman who was dangling from the arms of her guards.

"So Rani. Do we have a deal?"

The Rani smiled back at her. "Of course my dear, you only had to ask."

Turning to the guard, Romana commanded him. "Take her to a SIDRAT bay, give her this list of equipment and send her to these sets of co-ordinates. Do you understand me?"

Seeing the fire in her eyes, The guard quickly bowed "At once Madame President!"

* * *

As the doors closed behind the guards and their prisoner, Leela stepped out from behind the drapes where she was hiding. She ran over and just barely caught Romana as she began to fall.

"You should have let me kill her. She's too dangerous." Leela said as she helped her old friend to a chair.

"She may be dangerous, but she can still be useful." Romana said as she sat there, trying to keep her head from spinning off her shoulders.

"Perhaps." Leela replied. "But I have a feeling we're all going to regret this."

Sighing sadly, Romana simply said. "My dear Leela, I already do."


	2. Chapter One

**CHAPTER ONE**

The Doctor strode out of the TARDIS into a beautiful sunny day. His long brown coat flapping in the breeze.

"Ah good old Solaria," the Doctor said to no one in particular. "One of the most peaceful, beautiful planets in the galaxy! I do hope I'm not late for the Lantern Festival!"

"I say, my good shopkeeper!" The Doctor said as he walked over to a man setting up a stall in the market. "I'm not too late for the Lantern Festival am I?"

"Where've you been mate?" The shop keeper replied taciturnly. "Don't you know the Princess has been found!"

"Oh. So, no more Lantern Festival then?" The Doctor said forlornly.

"Of course not!" The shopkeeper replied. He jerked on a rope and the tarps covering his stall fell away revealing a vast selection sky lanterns. "Now it's called the Festival of Celebration! Want to buy a sky lantern?"

The Doctor smiled brightly. "What have you got my dear man!"

* * *

Rapunzel sat quietly in her sitting room by the window. She held her needlepoint in her hand but hadn't done much of anything with it for hours. Pascal sat on her shoulders making the occasional worried chirp.

Eugene strode in, gabbing a mile a minute. "So what do you think princess? Pretty snazzy eh?" he said as he stopped to admire his new suit in the mirror. "I do admit that some parts of the Festival of Celebration has it's perks. I just hate having to stand around making speeches and retelling the tale of how I rescued you from the clutches of that evil old witch."

Looking at his wife in the mirror. Eugene saw her sitting sadly by the window.

Instantly, he was by her side. "Hey Rapunzel, whats wrong?"

Rapunzel looked up at her husband. "Oh it's nothing, Eugene, really."

"It's not those dreams you've been having is it?" Flynn asked.

"I know it's silly," Rapunzel quietly replied. "But I just can't shake the feeling that she's coming back."

"Hey," Eugene said as he gently put his hand underneath her chin and lifted her face up to his. "She's gone. Turned to dust remember!"

Rapunzel leaned into him. "I know. I'm just being silly."

"Look, we'll double the guard and have the Watch keep a close eye out for her." He hugged his wife tightly to him. "I promise you. She will never hurt you again."

Rapunzel hugged him tightly back.

But she still didn't smile.

* * *

The Doctor strode up to the Castle's main entrance, holding his flying lantern delicately in his hands.

"Halt! Who goes there!" A voice boomed.

"Hello, I'm the envoy from the far nation of er, Sponge-bobia!" The Doctor said as he held up the psychic paper to the slit in the door. "I wish to gain entrance to set free my sky lantern!"

The door opened hastily. "I'm sorry your excellency! I thought all the ambassadors were already inside the castle." The guard said as he bowed.

"Um, yes, well I got stuck with a very slow horse. Did I mention that Sponge-bobia is very, very far away?" The Doctor sort of trailed off.

"Let me get you an escort right away." The guard said.

"Oh that's all right," The Doctor replied. "No need to bother. I know the way."

The Guard stepped in front of the Doctor and put his hand firmly on the Doctors chest.

"I'm sorry sir, But I have orders from the Prince Regent himself. No. One. Enters the castle unescorted."

"Oh really?" The Doctor said, suddenly intrigued. "And why's that then?"

"Well, I'm not one to gossip sir." The guard said looking both ways.

"Oh, go on, do tell." The doctor whispered.

"Well sir, they say that the witch is coming back to take back the Princess!"

"Oh really?" The Doctor replied, his sky lantern already forgotten. "You know, I don't believe I've had my Royal Audience with the princess yet. It would be awfully rude of me to not visit her on her most important day."

"Of course sir, Just wait here and I'll summon four guardsmen."

"Four?" The Doctor questioned.

"No one harms the Princess on MY watch." The Guard replied.

The Doctor smiled quietly and nodded. "Good man."

* * *

Rapunzel sat in the majestic throne room, with Eugene by her side as Prince Regent. She bowed to the elderly ambassador from Corynth. Thanking him for his gift.

She looked the very embodiment of a regal princess. But inside she couldn't shake this feeling of dread.

"Hey, Your Highness," Eugene leaned in and whispered. "How about you let my fingers breath. I think your cutting off their circulation."

Startled, Rapunzel looked down and saw she was holding her husbands hand in a death grip.

She grinned sheepishly. "Sorry Eugene."

"Hey relax. I'm here." And looking off into a corner of the throne room. "And if that doesn't relax you, Maximus is here also." He said indicating the beautiful white horse who was suspiciously looking at everyone who got near the princess.

His frying pan was sitting within easy reach.

The Majordomo loudly announced "Presenting His Envoy from Sponge-bobia! The Doctor!"

Both Rapunzel and Eugene looked up to see a tall skinny brown haired man wearing a long brown coat.

Eugene leaned in. "Um, do YOU know where Sponge-bobia is?"

"Could it be next to Corynth?" Rapunzel replied puzzled. She looked at Corynth's Ambassador. He shook his head and shrugged his shoulders.

The Doctor quickly strode up the Dias, and grabbed Rapunzel's hand and eagerly shook it.

"Hello your Majesty, May I say you have a beautiful kingdom!"

Taken aback by the Doctors approach, Rapunzel could only nod and let her hand be shaken by this strange man.

Suddenly, Both the Doctor and Rapunzel's hands began to glow.

Startled, the Doctor looked at his hand and then quickly to Rapunzel.

"What!" The Doctor said.

"What!" Rapunzel said.

"What!" Eugene said.

"No! That can't be!" The Doctor said.

But before he could say anything else. A frying pan came flying out of nowhere and struck him hard across the back of his head.

The Doctor fell into darkness.

* * *

Deep inside the crumbling tower where Rapunzel had been held captive for so long, machinery slowly started to come to life.

MANDATORY CHECK-IN HAS BEEN MISSED.

INITIATING SENSOR SWEEP PROTOCOLS.

A powerful Blue light swept the tiny circular canyon where the tower sat.

GENETIC RESIDUE HAS BEEN LOCATED. SUBJECT HAS BEEN TERMINATED.

INITIATING RENEWAL PROTOCOLS.

Slowly a thick grey dust began to coalesce inside the tower onto a glowing white disk.

The dust swirled around and around.

Then a figure could be seen, starting to form from the dusty residue.

The disk began to brighten significantly, filling the room. The figure at the center of the dust storm started to become more detailed and solid.

The light became so bright, it spilled out of the tower and lit up the entire canyon with it's power.

The figure inside the light screamed.

Slowly the light began to lessen. It grew dimmer and dimmer revealing a naked female figure that wisps of smoke came off of.

The wide face, surrounded once again by thick locks of curly black hair looked up, gasping.

In a raspy voice it said,

"Oh... Rapunzel... Mummy's home."


	3. Chapter Two

**CHAPTER TWO**

The Doctor woke to find himself shackled to a wall in a dank cell filled with mouldy straw. His head throbbed in tempo with his heartbeats.

"Ungh." Groaned the Doctor. "Why do they always go for the head?"

Then the Doctor remembered what happened in the Throne room. He sat bolt upright.

"HEY!" The Doctor shouted. "HEY! IS THERE ANYBODY OUT THERE! TALK TO ME!"

He heard a lock being turned somewhere down a hall. He could hear a door open and a bunch of footsteps start to come near.

A bunch of angry looking men, one with a hook for a hand, gathered outside of his cell looking menacingly at him.

At their head was the Prince Regent.

He didn't look happy.

The Prince unlocked the door and strode into the Doctors cell.

Before the Doctor could say anything, the Prince Regent punched him solidly in the jaw. The Doctor's head snapped back into the cold cell wall and banged against it hard. The Doctor slowly slumped sideways.

"Again," the Doctor mumbled into the mouldy straw. "Why do they always go for the head."

The Prince Regent violently grabbed the Doctor by his jacket lapels and viciously yanked him up and looked him the eye.

In a low angry tone the Prince Regent growled. "What did you do to my wife? And how do we bring her back?"

"Why?" The Doctor said "What happened?"

The Prince punched him hard in the stomach. The wind flew out of the Doctors lungs in a whoosh. He doubled over painfully.

The Prince jerked him back up and shouted at him. "YOU KNOW WHAT YOU DID TO HER! NOW HOW DO WE BREAK THE SPELL YOU PUT HER UNDER, WITCH? HOW DO I WAKE HER BACK UP!"

"Wait, what?" The Doctor said trying to get his breath back.

The prince raised his fist once more.

Wait! Wait, Just WAIT A MOMENT!" The Doctor said still gasping. "Look. Lets just say, FOR THE MOMENT, that I don't know whats going on. How about you tell me whats going on? Maybe I can help."

The Prince pushed the Doctor hard into the cell wall.

"Like you don't know. YOU grabbed her hand and put a spell on her! And now she won't wake up. So tell me witch, how did you do it? How did you come back from the dead? And HOW DO I WAKE MY WIFE UP!" The Prince shouted.

"Look, I honestly don't know whats going on." The Doctor replied as he got his breath back. "But please listen to me. I'm willing to help."

"Hah." The thug with the hook for a hand suddenly spoke up. "Like we're gonna believe that. Now you tells us how we wake her up from that magic spell, witch, or I ain't gonna be Mr. Nice Guy no mores."

"What witch! Do I even look like a witch?" The Doctor asked exasperatedly.

The thug with the hook looked confused. "Well, no."

"So if I don't look like a witch, then perhaps I'm not, Hmmm?" The Doctor said as he looked each and every one in turn.

"Then your in league with her!" The Prince said. "Either way your gonna tell me how to wake her up!"

"Well, what happened after I got knocked out by that... Horse? With a Frying Pan?" The Doctor said looking perplexed.

"My wife fell down and lapsed into unconsciousness." The Prince said hanging his head "And no matter what we do, nobody can wake her up."

The prince fell to his knees and looked up at the Doctor. "Please Doctor. Help her. I'll do anything."

The Doctor stood up. "Ah, the words I've never been able to walk away from."

Holding his hands up, The Doctor simply said "Unchain me and take me to her."

* * *

The Doctor was led to the royal bed chambers surrounded by guards and thugs and a slightly less angry Prince Regent.

The princess lay in bed, the horse that had knocked him out standing faithfully by her side.

The moment the Horse saw the Doctor he bared his teeth and lunged at the Doctor.

The prince quickly put himself between the Horse and the Doctor. "Whoa, easy Maximus! He's here to help Rapunzel!"

Maximus glared balefully at the Doctor.

The Doctor reached into his coat pocket. "Easy there, big fella." He pulled out a shiny red apple. "Peace?"

Maximus took the apple, and let the Doctor pass.

Sitting on the bed next to the sleeping princess, The Doctor put on his brainy specs and pulled out his trusty sonic screwdriver and began to scan her.

"What is that?" The Prince asked the Doctor.

"It's a Sonic Screwdriver." The doctor replied. "It's... complicated."

"Does everyone have one of those in Sponge-bobia?" The Prince asked.

"er, not exactly. It's..."

"Complicated?"

"Sort of." The Doctor replied as he finished scanning the princess. He looked at the results. "I don't understand. These readings don't make sense." He took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. His head still throbbed from being hit. And it wasn't helping his mood.

He reached down and took the princesses hand once more.

Once again both his hand and hers began to glow a faint golden light. He gently let go of her hand and the glow slowly faded.

"What IS that Doctor?" The prince asked quietly.

The Doctor got up from the bed and began to pace. "What it is, is something that SHOULDN"T happen."

"You see, what's your name anyways? I can't keep thinking of you as just 'the Prince'" The doctor asked as he continued to pace.

"You can call me Eugene." The prince said.

"Well Eugene," The Doctor said as he sat back down and took up the princesses hand once more. "THIS," he said, indicating the glow, "Is a biochemical reaction that only is supposed to happen between my people."

"The people of Sponge-bobia." Eugene replied.

"Um, something like that." The Doctor said. "But all my people are gone. And according to my trusty Screwdriver, your wife isn't one of my people. But I'm reacting to her like she is."

"Could it have something to do with her magic hair?" Eugene asked.

"What!" the Doctor said. "Whats this about 'magic hair'?"

"You mean you don't know the tale of my wife?"

"Well, did I mention that Sponge-bobia is very, very, VERY far away?" The Doctor replied vaguely.

"Eugene, why don't you tell me your wife's story. It could help." The Doctor said.

"Okay." Eugene sat down next to his comatose wife and gently held her hand. "Well, once upon a time a single drop of sunlight fell from the heavens. And from this small drop of sun grew a magic golden flower. It had the ability to heal the sick and injured. Now the flower was found by an evil witch called Gothel. But she didn't want to share the abilities of the flower, so she hid it away."

"Anyways, centuries pass and a Kingdom grew close to where the flower was. The kingdom was ruled by a beloved King and Queen."

"And the queen was about to have a baby. But she got sick. REALLY sick."

"She was running out of time, and that's when people usually start looking for a miracle. Or in this case a magic golden flower."

"Now, The evil witch Gothel had horded the flower for herself. She used the flower to keep herself young and vital for hundreds of years. All she had to sing was a special song."

Eugene cleared his throat. And began to sing.

"_Flower gleam and glow,_

_let your power shine_

_make the clock reverse_

_bring back what once was mine, what once was mine..."_

The Doctors head snapped around upon hearing the words of the song. "What did you say!"

"What?" Eugene asked. "Those are the lyrics."

"But that's a song my people would sing to our children in their cribs. It's a nursery rhyme."

"Of Sponge-bobia"

"Yes, yes, yes." The Doctor irritatedly said. "Keep going."

"Well, some guards found the golden flower and brought it back and healed the queen. And a healthy baby girl with golden hair was born." Eugene looked at the sleeping princess. "My wife."

"But Gothel came into her nursery one night and attempted to take the babies hair, only to find out that if she cut it, the hair lost it's magic."

So the evil witch Gothel kidnapped the baby girl and raised her as her own. Keeping her locked away in a tower and using the magic of my wife's hair to stay young."

"Many years later, I found her and rescued her from the evil witch. I helped her reunite with her family. We were married shortly after."

"Eugene, this... evil witch Gothel, how did she die?" The Doctor asked intently.

"She... had stabbed me Doctor. I was dying." Looking down at his wife, Eugene continued on. "Rapunzel was going to use her hair to heal me. But if she did so she had agreed to stay with Gothel."

"I, I couldn't let that happen, so I cut her hair off. The hair lost it's magic and Mother Gothel fell from the tower and turned to dust."

"So, you killed her." The Doctor asked darkly.

"Yes."

"YOU killed the last of my kind."

Looking up, Eugene saw a terrible anger on the Doctors face. Everyone in the room backed up a pace.

Swallowing the lump in his throat, Eugene replied "Well if it makes you feel any better. I shortly died right after myself..."

Suddenly, the Doctor closed his eyes and rubbed his face with his hand. "Sorry, Sorry. Anyways- wait a minute, you said you died!"

"Yes Doctor. I died." looking back at his wife, Eugene continued on. "She sorta had a thing for me by then. When I... died, she cried. A single tear fell from her face and landed on me. Somehow it brought me back to life. And here I am."

The Doctor reached over and grabbed Eugene's hand.

It started to glow.


	4. Chapter Three

**CHAPTER THREE**

"What!" Eugene said as he rapidly got up and away from the Doctor.

The Doctor got up and once again began to pace.

"Hmmmm," he said to himself. "That's interesting. Very interesting..."

"Doctor." Eugene said. "Just what is going on here?"

"I'm beginning to get an idea about what happened here. That is, what happened between you, your wife and Gothel."

"Eugene, could you take me to the tower where Rapunzel was kept by Gothel?" The Doctor asked as he turned to face Eugene.

"I suppose so, but what would that accomplish?" Eugene replied.

"Well for one thing, it may help to wake up your wife. You see she isn't just asleep, she's somehow being forced into an induced near comatose trance. There's little to no brain wave activity coming from her right now. I would say that she's dead, except that she's obviously not. So something is causing her to remain in this 'suspended animation'. I need more information. And I think I can get it at the tower."

Turning to one of the nearest guards, Eugene gave rapid instructions to have an escort and horses prepared at once. The guard saluted crisply and then left.

The Doctor felt a yawn come over him. He suddenly realized that, excepting unconsciousness, he had been at it for well over a day now. That and the crack to his noggin had drained him of most of his energy. Plus, looks excepted, he wasn't a young man anymore.

"Eugene, do you mind if we put off our little excursion till morning? I don't often say this, but I could use a rest."

The prince looked at the Doctor and noticed his haggard appearance. "I suppose Doctor, but morning is only a few hours away.

"That's okay, a couple hours of rest and I'll be right as rain." The Doctor replied as he fought down another yawn.

"Very well then, Doctor. I'll show you to some guest quarters. Come with me." They both headed out into the hall.

As Eugene and the Doctor, plus escort, walked along a torch lit hallway, the prince asked the Doctor a question.

"So Doctor, what makes you think Gothel was one of your people?"

"Well simply put, the facts would seem to bear it out, my reaction to you and your wife, the nursery rhyme. Everything points to one of my people meddling here somehow. In fact, I have a strong notion about who it was. Which is surprising to me, because she was supposed to have been imprisoned. Forever."

"Forever? She was that dangerous?" The Prince asked

"More than you could possibly know." The Doctor ominously replied.

"So it's a good thing she's dead then." Eugene said.

The Doctor put his hand on Eugene's arm halting him. "Eugene, it's never a good thing when someone passes on. No matter who they were. Everyone has the power of redemption in them. When they're gone, that's no longer a possibility."

Eugene looked at the Doctor crossly, "That woman tried to kill me and would have imprisoned my wife for an eternity if she could have managed it. I have a hard time believing there was anything redemptive about her."

Really? The Doctor asked. "So what about you Eugene? Hmmm? What were you before you met your fairy tale princess?"

"I was many things Doctor, but I was no murderer. And after meeting Rapunzel, I changed my ways." Eugene replied hotly.

"So you redeemed yourself." The Doctor said squarely facing the prince. "Then why is it so hard to believe that even a witch like Gothel couldn't have been redeemed as well? She only needed Rapunzels hair, Eugene. She could have simply had her chained up in a cellar somewhere and taken the regenerative power of the hair. But she didn't. From what I understand, she raised Rapunzel as if she was her own daughter. She cared for Rapunzel, and the only bad thing she did was to kidnap her and not let her leave the tower."

The Doctor continued on. "To be perfectly honest that probably would have been Rapunzels life even if she had been raised by her real parents. She would have grown up living a very sheltered life. In fact she probably would have never been allowed to leave the castle until she was married off to some foreign prince."

"Doctor, unless you want to spend the few remaining hours until morning unconscious. I suggest you drop the subject." Eugene replied darkly.

"Sorry." The Doctor replied back sarcastically. "Getting hit in the head with a frying pan tends to make me a tad tetchy."

They continued down the hall in silence.

* * *

The guard posted to a little used side entrance of the castle watched as a bent over figure in a hooded cloak approached.

"Halt! Who goes there! State your business and intent!" The guard shouted as per regulations.

"I am the apothecary the prince sent for, to attend the sick princess." The figure replied.

"Then go to the main gate. No one is currently allowed entrance to the castle except through there." The guard replied.

"Oh but surely you could make an exception for a poor old woman? It's such a long way to the front of the castle, and my lame lag is about to give up." The cloaked figure said as it painfully hobbled up next to the guard.

"I'm sorry old woman, but I have my orders." The guards dutifully replied.

"I figured as much." The figure said in a suddenly much stronger voice. It whipped a handful of dust into the guards face.

The guard violently shoved the cloaked figure aside as he went for his sword. He sneezed once and then suddenly stopped moving.

The Rani pulled back the hood of her cloak. "Right now your probably wondering why you can't move. Well darling, the reason is because of the microscopic brain parasites you just inhaled. I'm sorry to tell you that you'll be dead in about twelve hours, but at least you can be of service in that time.

Walking around the immobile guard she continued on. "You see, one of the side effects of the parasites is that the subject is conducive to suggestion."

leaning in close to the guards face she said. "So I suggest you listen only to me. Now open the door and take me to where the princess is. And make sure no one sees us."

* * *

The Doctor groggily woke to someone bursting into the room in which he was sleeping. He could hear a loud commotion that seemed to run throughout the castle.

Eugene ran up to the Doctors bedside. The look of panic clear on his face.

"Doctor! Rapunzel is missing!"


	5. Chapter Four

**CHAPTER FOUR**

"What!" The Doctor said as he bolted upright. "Quickly! Show me!"

Both the Doctor and Eugene ran from the room and headed towards Rapunzel's bed chamber.

"Why didn't you have a Guard posted!" The Doctor rapidly asked Eugene.

"I did!" Eugene replied crossly. "He's missing and something is badly wrong with Maximus!"

Quickly, the Doctor and Eugene reached the royal bedchamber. There on the floor lay Maximus, his eyes bloodshot and a bloody froth coming from his nose and mouth.

The bed itself was empty.

The Doctor strode over the where Maximus lay, pulling out his stethoscope he quickly listened to the horses laboured breathing.

"This is not good. This is VERY not good!" The Doctor said as he moved the stethoscope around the large horses chest. He stood up quickly and pulling out his screwdriver quickly scanned Maximus.

Checking the readout, the Doctor pushed his screwdriver closed with finality. "I was afraid of this."

"What it is? What's wrong with him."

"He's been infected with a virulent strain of fungal spores. They're basically eating away the lining of his lungs."

"Well help him!Your a Doctor!"

Yes, but I'm not THAT kind of Doctor. Not even a veterinarian." The Doctor gently knelt down and rubbed Maximus' neck. "I don't have the kind of equipment I'd need to make a cure for him."

Suddenly the Doctor slapped his forehead. "Of course! Gods I'm getting slow in my old age!"

Standing up, the Doctor crossed over to Eugene. "Are those mounts you ordered ready yet!"

"They should be, but the escort is still getting together." Eugene replied.

We don't have time for that!" The Doctor said urgently. "Listen to me Eugene, I know where Rapunzel is, and I'm willing to bet my last regeneration that I will be able to find or make a cure for Maximus there as well. But we have to leave NOW!"

Eugene stared intently at the Doctor for a moment. Finally he said "Let's go."

* * *

As the Doctor, Eugene and a spare guard rode hard towards the abandoned tower where Rapunzel had been kept, Eugene shouted to the Doctor. "So what makes you think Rapunzel will be at the Tower Doctor?"

"Isn't it obvious!" The Doctor shouted back. "Gothel is back!"

Ducking a low hanging branch, Eugene shouted back "But How! She's dead!"

"I told you she was one of my people. We're rather hard to kill!" The Doctor shouted back. "But for some reason I can't sense her, and I should be able to! Otherwise I would have stopped all of this from ever happening!"

"So all of you Sponge-bobians are wizards?" Eugene shouted.

"No Eugene, we're just very good with machines!" And with that the Doctor spurred his mount on ever faster.

Eugene and the guard followed.

* * *

The sun was just cresting over the horizon when they finally arrived at the area where the entrance to the tower was hidden.

"I-I don't understand Doctor the entrance should be right around here somewhere. I know it should be!" Eugene said as he worriedly looked around.

"Relax Eugene, calm your mind." The Doctor said. "Now look out of the corner of your eye."

Closing his eyes, Eugene took a slow deep breath. When he opened his eyes again he looked around the meadow. Then he thought he saw something out of the corner of his eye...

Concentrating, Eugene looked at the blurry patch of dangling vine. They suddenly came into focus.

"There!" Eugene said as he pointed to the patch of hanging vine.

"Good for you Eugene!" The Doctor said as they all dismounted their horses. "That's your basic perception filter. It keeps you from noticing something unless you really pay attention."

The guard drew his sword, and said, "M'lords if you'll wait here I'll check out the entrance to make sure it's safe for all."

Before the Doctor could stop him, the guard strode forward quickly towards the entrance.

Wait!" The Doctor shouted, but it was too late.

The guard stepped on something. Almost instantly he was turned into a tree.

Drawing his sword, Eugene quickly backed up. "What sort of sorcery is this!"

Pulling out his screwdriver, the Doctor carefully walked forward, scanning the forest floor in front of them. "It's not sorcery, it's deviously applied super genetics." Kneeling down, the Doctor dug up a small brown seed pod.

"Tree mines." he said holding it up to Eugene's view. "It's safe now. I've disabled the rest of them. But we'll still have to be careful. The Rani has more than one trick up her sleeve."

"Who's the Rani?" Eugene asked as he carefully and slowly walked behind to Doctor to the entrance.

"You would know her better as Gothel." The Doctor replied as he scanned the area ahead of them while they walked forward. "I thought this was her handiwork, but the tree mine sealed it. It's one of her vicious and deadly specialities."

"How in the world does something like that work anyways Doctor? I'm still having a hard time not believing it's magic." Eugene asked.

"The seed pod was genetically modified to release fast acting spores that need animal tissue to grow and absorb. It's like a tree that had it's growth cycle sped up very, very fast. You've seen the end result for yourself."

"And this Rani designed it, you say?" Eugene asked the Doctor.

"Yes." The Doctor replied.

"And you still think she can redeem herself, even after creating a weapon like that?" Eugene pointedly asked.

"I only said it was possible Eugene," The Doctor replied quietly. "I never said it was likely. But either way, she's my responsibility now. I'll deal with her. Not you."

We'll see about that Doctor." Eugene replied darkly.

They both slowly and carefully entered the entrance to the canyon where the tower stood.

* * *

Both Eugene and the Doctor hid themselves behind a large rocky outcropping that overlooked the tower.

"I don't like it. this has been WAY to easy." The Doctor whispered to Eugene. "The Rani's almost as clever as I am. There's no way those tree mines would have been her only line of defense, which they seem to have been, so far. And my screwdriver isn't detecting anything else between us and the tower. There's no way she's this careless."

"So, Trap?" Eugene asked.

"Definitely a trap." The Doctor replied. "I just don't know how she's going to spring it."

"Well, we can't sit here all day Doctor, Maximus doesn't have that much time." Eugene whispered urgently.

"I know. All right then, lets go. Stay close to me and be prepared to run at a moments notice." The Doctor replied as he got up from their hiding place.

Eugene offered a small smile. "I'm a former thief Doctor, I'm always ready to run!"

Both Eugene and the Doctor got up and carefully proceeded to the tower. The Doctor paying close attention to what his screwdriver was telling him.

In fact he was paying so much attention to it that he failed to notice the leaf and branch covered pit until it was too late. Both Eugene and the Doctor tumbled into the pit.

"Get off me!" The Doctor said to Eugene as the Prince slowly got up and off of him.

"Well, why didn't you magic screwdriver not notice a blasted pit! Eugene crossly replied.

"It has a hard time with cellulose fiber." The Doctor replied crossly as he pushed Eugene off him.

"What." Eugene replied incredulously. "It doesn't do wood!"

"He always did have a hard time with natural fibers, isn't that right Doctor?" A husky female voice asked from the top of the pit.

Both Eugene and the Doctor quickly looked up.

Standing there at the edge of the pit, an ugly blaster in her hand, stood the Rani.


	6. Chapter Five

**CHAPTER FIVE**

"Rani, please, just listen to me." The Doctor forcefully pleaded. "Everything's changed. Everything!"

"Oh, do be quiet Doctor, I'm not interested in any of your stories." The Rani replied.

Pointing her sonic blaster at Eugene, she offered a simple ultimatum. "Now, toss me your sonic screwdriver, or I'll kill the thief."

"But please, just listen to me!" The Doctor pleaded.

"I've killed him once before Doctor, don't think I won't do it again." The Rani said looking at the Doctor, the blaster never wavering from Eugene's face.

"Um, Doc, I think you'd better do as she says, I'm not in the mood to die today." Eugene said, as he nervously looked down the blasters barrel.

"All right, all right. Just take it easy. Here." The Doctor said as he threw his sonic screwdriver up to the Rani.

She caught it deftly with her free hand.

Pocketing the device, She knelt down and tossed the end of a rope down to them.

"It's tied to a tree, now both of you climb up. You first Doctor" The Rani said as she moved around to the other side of the pit to cover them as they both came up.

The Doctor quickly came up, and after pulling himself over the edge of the pit, he lay there for a moment, panting.

"Please Rani... just... listen to me for a moment." The Doctor panted as he lay on his back on the ground.

"Doctor, you have no idea how long I've wanted to do this." The Rani replied.

"Do what?" The Doctor asked as he propped himself up on his elbows and looked at her.

She shot him.

Eugene was just pulling himself out of the pit, when he witnessed the Rani shoot the Doctor with some kind of light. The Doctor collapsed as the beam hit him.

"Why would you do that! He was no threat to you!" Eugene shouted as he clawed his way onto the meadows surface.

"Do you want to know why he always wins?" The Rani asked him as she came around and gently nudged the Doctor with her foot.

"Who? The Doctor?" Eugene asked puzzled.

"Who do you think I'm talking about, you witless twit?" The Rani replied as she rolled her eyes. "Yes. The Doctor."

"Well, how then?" Eugene asked

"His opponents ALWAYS underestimate him. He's played the clown and the dandy for so long that alot of people think that's all there is to him. Until he does something completely brilliant and unexpected."

Stepping back from the body of the Doctor, she continued on. "I allowed that to happen to myself as well. Well no more. he's not dangerous if he's not conscious."

"You mean he's alive!" Eugene said as he crossed over to where the Doctor lay. Sure enough, the doctor was slowly breathing. He was still alive.

"Of course he is, you idiot. I still have need of him. Now pick him up. I have work to do."

* * *

As he carried the Doctor, Eugene kept trying to think of some way to stop the Rani, or Gothel as he knew her. The only problem was that all the scenarios he could come up with ended with him dead.

He really wished the Doctor would wake up, as he was sure the Doctor would have come up with a plan on how to deal with the witch.

Plus, he was just plain HEAVY.

"Why are we going past the tower?" Eugene asked as the Rani made them walk past it without stopping.

"Because we're going to my laboratory." The Rani replied.

"Laboratory? Is that where you keep your witches cauldron?" Eugene asked.

It was a moment before Eugene noticed that the Rani had stopped walking and just stood there, pinching the bridge of her nose with her free hand. A pained look on her face.

"Um, what's wrong?" Eugene asked.

The Rani looked up at him, anger burned bright in her eyes.

Wordlessly, she pointed her blaster at a nearby boulder. She pulled the trigger.

The boulder exploded in a violent display of power.

As bits of gravel rained down on them, the Rani spoke only once.

"If you open your big, fat, stupid gob one more time. I will do that to you. understand?"

Eugene wisely nodded. They continued on across the canyon.

As they walked on, Eugene could occasionally make out some of the muttered words the Rani spoke.

"...Oh, no. She HAD to send me to a class four planet. Not even a simple class three where they would at least have the steam engine. A basic understanding of scientific principals. Nooooo, she had to strand me in a barbaric, backwater..."

* * *

They soon arrived at a small cave entrance.

"Wait here." The Rani commanded.

Eugene who had been carrying the Doctor all this time, simple put the Doctor down on the grass and sat down to catch his breath. Escaping the last thing on his mind.

The Rani walked forward. A bright thin blue light scanned her. a metallic sounding voice simply said

"Identify and provide security access code." It said.

"Rani. Epsilon-sigma-delta-nine-nine-five-three-two-one. Confirm" She said.

"Identity, and access code confirmed. You may pass."

"Come on." The Rani said. "And don't forget the good Doctor. I'm going to have a special use for him."

As Eugene carried the Doctor forward, they passed into the entrance of the cave and it suddenly shimmered.

Eugene found himself staring into a hallway that seemed to be made of metal and ceramics. a bright light seemed to emanate from everywhere.

"What the-" Eugene said as he stared in wonder at the sight before him.

Rolling her eyes, the Rani turned back around. "Oh for Omega's sake, it's just. a. hallway. Now come on. You want to find Rapunzel don't you?"

Suddenly, Eugene wasn't so full of wonder any more.

"Where is she! Where is my wife!" Eugene shouted.

"Watch your tone, boy." The Rani replied. "She's just up ahead."

The both quickly entered an enormous multi-story tall chamber. Eugene couldn't make heads or tails of the stuff everywhere. there were glowing lights, metal pipes and glass everywhere.

And there, in the middle of the room, suspended and floating in the middle of a glass chamber, floated Rapunzel.

Dropping the Doctor unceremoniously. Eugene rushed over to where Rapunzel's unconscious form floated. Her hair floating about her head like a halo.

Putting his hand gently to the glass that enclosed Rapunzels form. He looked lovingly at her, relieved that he found her.

Turning around he accosted the Rani. "What have you done to her, you monster! What have you done to my wife!"

"Backup, stupid. I haven't done anything to her. Yet." The Rani replied. "That's up to you. Now put the Doctor in that Analysis Chamber over there and then you get in the one next to him. Or else."

Eugene awkwardly managed to manhandle the Doctors body into the glass chamber where it too began to float. He then stepped into the chamber next to the Doctor. The doorway closed and sealed itself behind him.

He could feel himself become weightless as well.

Truth be told, it gave him a bit of an upset stomach.

Walking over to a wall, the Rani began pressing and flipping various dial and switches.

"Come now Doctor, You've slept long enough. Wakey, wakey." The rani said as she flipped a final switch.

The chamber the Doctor floated in began to fill with a darkly coloured gas.

Slowly the Doctor began to awaken.

"Owwwww." He said. "Well, at least it wasn't the head this time."

Looking around, he quickly took everything in.

"So then, it's just as I thought. Genetics laboratory, extractor and analysis chambers. what looks lie a big gigantic Genetic Enducer. Your trying to re create the Time Lords, aren't you Rani."

"Finally a mind worth talking to. Yes your correct Doctor. And thanks to your visit, I'll finally be able to do it."

"Hmmmm, so what went wrong? How did you lose the time lord essence Rassilon? gave you?" The Doctor queried.

"Believe it or not this was done on your beloved Romana's orders NOT Rasillon's."

Of course! I should have known by the safeguards put into place. You've been here a VERY long time haven't you Rani?" The Doctor asked, looking directly at her.

"Too long Doctor. FAR too long. But none of that matters now that I have YOU."

"Still, rather clumsy of you to lose the most important piece of your whole scheme." The Doctor replied as he looked around the laboratory.

"Clumsy!" The Rani retorted in anger. "I had the jettison the blasted stuff while trying to evade THREE Dalek Battle Saucers! In a pitiful SIDRAT to boot! So don't talk to me about clumsy!"

"So, that's what happened to it then, eh? It must have fallen through the Time Vortex and landed here on Solaria."

"Yes Doctor, It took me ages to track it down. But I finally managed to find it. And just in time too, You see Doctor, Your precious Romana not only stripped my cerebral cortex of the ability to sense time and the rest of the time lords, she also suspended my remaining regenerations.

"So you only have this one life to live eh? You must have been on your last legs when you finally found it." The Doctor replied.

"Indeed Doctor, luckily there it was. It had become a beautiful Gallifreyan Star Blossom. I was able to syphon off tiny amounts to keep myself young. Romana had been kind enough to include a renewal machine, but you know how painful that can be."

"Indeed."

"But my big question is why use MY essence! Surely you would have rather used your own." The Doctor asked.

"You are correct Doctor, in fact I had been given Omega's AND Rassilons Temporal Genetic Essence."

"And you..."

"Tossed them both. Those two shouldn't be allowed to repopulate a kennel, let alone be the foundation of a new Time Lord race. Instead I took mine and yours. You're the only one on Gallifrey who even comes close to matching my intellect."

"What are you two TALKING about!" Eugene asked, still floating inside the glass chamber.

"Oh, sorry Eugene, I'm just letting the Rani here tell me her plans so I can figure out a way to stop her." The Doctor quickly replied.

"Oh please. Like that's going to happen." The Rani said as she rolled her eyes.

"Look I don't care if this is some big Sponge-bobian reunion and all, but all I care about is my wife!"

The Rani looked at the Doctor. "Sponge-bobians? Really?"

"Well, lets say I wasn't intending for it to go this far?" The Doctor answered sheepishly.

"Whatever. What I'm trying to say," Eugene said interrupting the two again. "Is you two can both go at it to your hearts content, just let me and my wife go!"

"First of all, you insignificant twit," replied the Rani "We're called Gallifreyans. Or Time Lords. NOT" she shuddered. "Sponge-bobians."

"Gesundheit" Replied Eugene, "Well whatever your called, why don't you just let me and Rapunzel go?

"Because I still need you." The Rani replied.

"Let me guess. Your going to use the my remaining regenerations as well as the Time Lord essence locked inside these two to..." The Doctor trailed off.

"Of course! Your going to turn everyone on Solaria into the new Time Lord Race! That's brilliant! Horrifying beyond comprehension, but still brilliant none the less." The Doctor conceded.

Looking at the Rani, all trace of humour gone from his face as well as his voice, the Doctor continued on. "You do realize that will kill the three of us. And that one of those people who will be killed will be your daughter."

"What!" Eugene shouted. "She intends to kill us!"

"She's just as much your daughter as she is mine Doctor." The Rani replied.

"Again, what are you two talking about!" Eugene pleaded.

"He didn't tell you did he?" The Rani said as she walked up to Eugene's chamber. "He's ever so good at that. Never telling anyone everything they need to know. All to make himself look smarter to local primitives."

Looking at the Doctor with utter contempt she said, "How pathetic."

"Stop it." The Doctor said.

Walking over to where Rapunzel hung suspended inside the Chamber, she opened it and reaching inside gently took Rapunzels hand.

It began to glow.

"I said stop it, Rani."

Ignoring the Doctor, she continued on. "You see, this effect only occurs between immediate family members of Gallifreyans. say, such as mother and daughter or... father and daughter."

"But, how?" Eugene asked confused.

"That so called 'magic flower' the guards found to heal the sick queen? That was the combined Temporal genetic essence of myself... and the Doctor."

"What?" Eugene said. "what does that even mean?"

"You never knew what was killing the queen did you? Well it was her." The Rani said indicating Rapunzel. "She was stillborn."

"So those idiot guards who took MY flower, who took the purest form of Gallifreyan energy ever seen, and turned it into SOUP! basically fed the queen pure life essence.

"Her parents may have given her a body, but the Doctor and I, we gave her a soul."

Looking at Eugene she simply said. "Rapunzel is more mine and the Doctors daughter than the King and Queens."

"Doctor, is this true?" Eugene turned to where the Doctor hung inside his chamber.

"After a fashion." The Doctor replied.

"But how come I glow in your presence? I'm not related to the king and queen in any way."

Sighing softly, the Doctor simply said. "When you...died, Rapunzel was able to tap into the Gallifreyan essence she carries inside her, and subconsciously was able to transfer enough to you to heal your wounds."

"So, she still has the power of the magic flower inside of her?" Eugene asked the Doctor.

Ignoring Eugene, the Doctor turned and talked to the Rani. "Listen to me Rani. Everything has changed. Gallifrey... Gallifrey is gone."

"And?" The Rani replied uninterested.

"What do you mean 'and'?" The Doctor replied outraged. "Don't you get it? We're all that remain. We are the last two Time Lords in all of creation."

"No, Doctor YOU don't get it." The rani replied coldly. "We aren't the last. We're the beginning."

"Oh come on Doctor, you know our race had ossified into a stagnant ball of corruption for the last million years. The Time War was the best thing to every happen to the Time Lords. All of a sudden we were having to become alive and inventive again. During the war, I think Gallifrey advanced more than before Rassilon created the Time lords."

"But even with all the new advancements you could still sense the rot at the core of our civilization. The Time Lords didn't die when they lost the war, Doctor. They died the moment they were created."

She turned around to indicate the vast laboratory "But think of it Doctor! Here. Now. WE can re-create the Time Lords in OUR image."

"My brains, your compassion. We can start over. We can guide this new fledgeling race ourselves! We can do it better next time!"

"How, by killing us?"

"Oh Doctor, you simple fool. You're forgetting who sent me here." The Rani indicated the main control board. "There are safe guards in place to prevent that. in fact, that's what was taking me so long. I couldn't experiment the way I normally would, because the machinery wouldn't let me."

"All I plan to do it use the canyon and the SIDRAT that's disguised as the tower, to create a giant amplification dish that will impart a small amount all of your combined essences into the genetic structure of every man, woman and child on Solaria.

The changes will take shape slowly, over the course of millennia, but with your TARDIS that wouldn't be a problem. would it. Doctor."

Both Eugene and the Rani looked at the Doctor expectantly.

Finally he looked up at both of them.

At the Rani in particular.

"We could do it, couldn't we?" The Doctor hopefully asked. "We could recreate the Time Lords here and now."

"We wouldn't be alone any more would we?" The Doctor plaintively asked the Rani.

"No. We wouldn't." She replied.

"Doctor, you can't let her go through with this!" Eugene pleaded.

Turning to Eugene the Doctor said "But Eugene, think of it! Think of the power you and Rapunzel would have! My people are a very long lived race. Think of all the things you could see in a hundred years, in five hundred, a thousand!"

"With you and her at the forefront leading us poor savages, is that it?" Eugene replied coldly. "Thanks, but no thanks."

The Doctor quietly closed his eyes and hung his head. When he opened them again you could see the sadness in his eyes.

"But that's the thing isn't it. We would just be repeating the mistakes of old."

Looking quietly at the Rani the Doctor simply said. "A very good friend of mine had to remind me once that everything has it's time."

"And that eventually, everything ends. Even the Time Lords."

"We don't have the right to impose our will or history on these people, Rani. Nobody has that right. So please, stop this. Come with me, Come and travel the universe in a rickety old TARDIS. There is so much out there. So much we could see."

"Together." He finished.

"Oh please." The Rani replied. "By the Gods of old, your a sentimental old fool Doctor."

Crossing to the main control panel she began to activate the Genetic Inducer.  
"Fortunately with you unable to stop me, I can go ahead and do it anyways. I'm sure you'll come around eventually."

"Rani! Don't!" The Doctor pleaded.

The Rani flipped the final switch.

The sounds of machinery coming to life could be heard throughout the laboratory. Conduits began to hum from the massive amounts of power they began to transfer.

Outside the holographic facade of the Rani's SIDRAT fell away and the tall time ship began to glow. The glow soon filled the canyon and began to shoot up into the air.

Inside the Rani's laboratory, however, things weren't going so well.

"What are you doing!" The Doctor shouted in agony as his temporal essence was stripped from him. "Your killing us!"

"I, I don't understand! none of this should be happening!" The rani replied as she stepped back from the control panel. Confusion written all over her face. "The siphon is drawing too much power. Somethings gone wrong!"

"Well shut it down!" The Doctor shouted.

"I'm trying, but the system has shut me out!" The Rani angrily replied as she tried to regain control of her equipment.

"Use my screwdriver! Setting 42!" The Doctor said as he twisted in agony inside the extraction chamber.

Fumbling through her dress for the screwdriver, the Rani finally found it, and pulling it out, began to reset it to unlock her controls when she was suddenly enveloped by a powerful blue light.

And found that she couldn't move.

"So," a familiar, low and arrogant voice said behind her. "Lost our nerve, have we?You pathetic creature. Well it's a good thing I'm here then!"


	7. Chapter Six

**CHAPTER SIX**

...Once upon a time, a beautiful baby princess was born to a kindly king and queen who ruled a peaceful kingdom by the sea.

And the kingdom celebrated and rejoiced the birth of the child by holding the very first ever Lantern Festival. Some say that the lanterns that filled the sky that night, rivalled the stars themselves.

But a few nights after her birth, the child was abducted by the witch Gothel, who needed the baby girls magic hair. Mother Gothel took the child away and hid her in a tower in a canyon, that was itself hidden by magic.

Mother Gothel used the magic of Rapunzel's hair to keep herself young while she would work away on dark and arcane magics in a hidden cave. She would return every night to cook supper for, and to look after, the abducted princess.

As the years passed, and she grew up, Rapunzel began to feel lonely. Of course her mother was always there for her, but she was her MOTHER. And so Rapunzel began to dream of one day having a friend.

One night when mother Gothel returned home, she found Rapunzel sitting alone in a chair facing a wall. Concerned by this, Mother Gothel asked her daughter what was wrong.

Rapunzel struggled to put into words what she was feeling. Finally she simply said that she felt lonely.

Mother Gothel said that she would always have her around. And Rapunzel agreed, but said that she wasn't always around. That Gothel would leave the tower to collect fruits and berries and other foodstuffs, and when she was gone she had no one to play with.

So Mother Gothel gently kissed her daughter on the forehead and told her that she would see what she could do about that.

The next day mother Gothel once again left the tower and returned to her secret cave. Along the way, she caught a small chameleon and brought it with her.

Once in the cave, the witch practised her dark magic on the small little lizard. She cast a spell that made him smarter. Then she cast a spell that made him tougher and stronger. And for her final spell, she used a part of herself to cast her most power magic yet, to extend the little lizards life beyond it's normal range.

When Mother Gothel came home that night, she told Rapunzel that she had a surprise for her. Seeing Rapunzel's face light up, Mother Gothel smiled, and from beneath her cloak she produced the small lizard.

Rapunzel squealed in delight and snatched up the tiny lizard into her own hands. As Rapunzel laughed and twirled about the small room atop the tower, Mother Gothel asked Rapunzel what she was going to name him?

At that, Rapunzel stopped. She looked at the tiny lizard, who seemed to look back at her expectantly. "How about Fido?" Rapunzel asked the lizard.

The little lizard shook his head no. So Rapunzel thought some more.

"How about Spot?" Again, the lizard shook his head no.

Looking about the room, Rapunzel spied the shelf where her favourite books sat. And a smile lit up her face.

Looking intently at the lizard, Rapunzel told him that in her very favourite book, her most favourite character in that book was named Pascal. Rapunzel asked the tiny lizard if that could be his new name.

The small chameleon seemed to consider it for a moment.

Then he nodded. So Pascal it was.

Delighted, Rapunzel ran over to Mother Gothel, and surprising her, tightly hugged her.

"Thank-you mommy." Rapunzel said, her small face buried in the folds of Gothels dress.

Surprised by this, Gothel seemed to hesitate a moment, but then a warm and genuine smile broke out across her face and she tightly hugged Rapunzel back.

"You're welcome, my child." Mother Gothel said.

"I''m gonna go show him my room!" Rapunzel exclaimed as she raced up the stairs.

Mother Gothel stood there for a moment, when she suddenly felt something warm running down her face. putting her hand to her face, she looked down and saw that he hand was wet.

She was crying.

And she didn't know why.

* * *

That day, Rapunzel and Pascal became the best of friends. He would play hide and go seek with her, or sit and listen as Rapunzel would tell him of stories of knight and dragons. He would often find himself cast as the dragon.

As the years passed on and Rapunzel grew up, he was always there for her.

He was there when Rapunzel started to learn how too cook.

he was there when Rapunzel started to try and figure out the stars.

He was there when Rapunzel finally decided to leave the tower.

He was there when Mother Gothel betrayed her and brought her back to the tower.

He was also there when mother Gothel died. In fact he had played a large part in that.

And, he was there the day Mother Gothel returned and took the princess back.

* * *

Hiding in Rapunzel's hair, Pascal stayed with his best friend. He did his best to stay hidden while the two guards that Gothel had put a spell on, carried the limp form of the princess down the stairs and to the stable where they stole some horses, and rode off back to the Tower from which Rapunzel had escaped.

When they brought the body of the princess to the laboratory. Pascal let go, hit the ground and ran and hid himself high up on the wall.

It was there, that he watched the guards put her inside the glass chamber where she began to float.

It was there, that he watched the guards start to writhe and scream as they held their heads in their hands.

It was there, that he watched Mother Gothel point a wand at the guards and turn them to dust.

And it was from there, that he watched Mother Gothel wake his best friend.

* * *

A dark coloured gas slowly filled the glass chamber that Rapunzel was suspended in. She began to cough and slowly come around.

As Rapunzel slowly opened her eyes, she saw Mother Gothel standing there before her.

She screamed.

"Calm down Rapunzel! I'm not going to hurt you! So will you PLEASE stop that infernal racket!" Mother Gothel shouted.

Rapunzel cut off her scream with a yelp.

"B-but you can't be here! You died, mother. I, I watched you fall to your death! You can't possibly be here!" Rapunzel said as she looked on at Mother Gothel in horror.

"Yes, well that's a rather long story. Sufficed to say my dear, I got better and am back."

"B-but how!" Rapunzel asked.

"Oh, it's a long and complicated process my dear, so I won't bore you with the details." Mother Gothel replied.

"Well, what do you want from me!" The princess asked. "I don't have my magic hair anymore. You of all people should know that."

"Oh my dear Rapunzel, there was much more to that magic than was in your hair." Gothel told her.

"What do you mean mother?" Rapunzel asked the witch.

"What I mean my dear is that you ARE the magic. You could say the glowing hair was just a minor detail."

"So what do you want then! Do you want to take the magic from me? Or is this just some sort of revenge for what happened at the tower?" Rapunzel asked defiantly.

"No, Rapunzel... look, just a moment, will you?" Gothel asked as she crossed the floor of the lab. She went over to a panel with some glowing lights. and pressed a few in series.

Pascal watched her closely.

The glass chamber that Rapunzel was in opened, and Rapunzel slowly floated down to the floor of the chamber. Stepping out of the chamber, Rapunzel warily watched Gothel.

For her part Gothel simply walked over to a bench in the corner and sat down. She patted the bench next to her indicating that she would like Rapunzel to come and join her.

Cautiously, Rapunzel slowly came over the where Gothel was, and sat down beside her.

Gothel quickly wrapped her up in a tight embrace.

For a moment, Rapunzel struggled against the witches embrace. But then she felt her mother shuddering.

Looking at Gothel, Rapunzel realized that she was crying. Not knowing what to do, she hugged her mother back.

"hey, it's okay. I'm not mad any more, honest." Rapunzel said as she clumsily tried to comfort the crying witch.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry Rapunzel." Gothel said. "There's so much I have to explain to you. about who and what you really are."

Looking at her daughter, Gothel continued. "I probably could have handled the situation with you leaving the tower better, but I'm rather new at this whole 'parenting' thing. You see Rapunzel, when you left the tower that day, I was so close to something I had been working on for years! Soon, I was going to be able to tell you everything!"

"But then you left, and I admit, I selfishly only thought about my needs. Oh Rapunzel, I was going to let you leave to tower very soon, to show you what I had been working on all those many years. I admit I was angry, but I was also concerned for you as well. I never lied when I said the world could be a dark and dangerous place. And you were out there with a thief! Of all the people!"

"But Eugene's a good man! And he's my husband now too!" Rapunzel argued.

Gently cupping Rapunzel's chin, Gothel leaned in and gently rested her head against Rapunzel's "well he would have to be if you married him." Gothel said gently, a small smile on her face.

Getting up from the bench Gothel gestured grandly at the lab they were in. "You see Rapunzel, I'm not from around here. In fact, I was sent here by my people to help them. We were in a long and vicious war with an implacable enemy."

"And we were losing. So my people sent me here to try and find a way to save them. And I finally did on that day so many years ago. But in order for me to finish my work, I need your help."

"What, do you need from me?" Rapunzel asked hesitantly.

"I need to tap into the 'magic' that still resides in you. Without that, everything I've done will be for nought." Gothel gently explained to her daughter.

"Will it hurt?' Rapunzel asked.

"A little, but you will come out unharmed. I promise." Gothel said.

"And this will help your people?" Rapunzel asked the witch.

"Yes my dearest. It will."

"And what if I say no?" Rapunzel asked coldly.

Gesturing to the hall that lead to the outside, Gothel simply said. "Then your free to go. I won't stop you."

Rapunzel studied Gothel very closely. She had lived with her for years after all. She knew when Gothel was happy, or angry, or sad.

Or lying.

And as far as she could tell, Gothel was telling the truth.

"All right mother, I agree to help you if it will really help your people. Do you promise?"

"I promise, Rapunzel." Goothel simply said.

"So what do you need me to do?" Rapunzel asked.

"All I need is for you to go back into the glass chamber." Gothel said as she indicated the chamber she had just left.

So Rapunzel walked over to and got back in the glass chamber. Once again she began to float.

"I- I'm a little scared." Rapunzel confided to Gothel in a quiet voice.

walking over to the chamber where Rapunzel floated, Gothel reached in and gently took Rapunzel's hand in her own. She concentrated for a moment, and her and Rapunzel's hands began to glow. Slowly Rapunzel drifted off to sleep.

"Shhhh. There, there," Gothel said to the sleeping form. "It will all be over soon." She stepped back and allowed the chamber door to close.

Striding over to a wall, Gothel pressed her hand against a glowing plate. a recessed panel slowly opened up and she reached in and took out a wicked and ugly looking blaster.

Malice now on her face, Gothel snarled. "And now, to wait for the thief."

* * *

And so pascal sat there, high up on the wall.

He watched as Gothel left the lab.

And he watched, as later, Gothel came striding back in, with Eugene carrying someone.

He watched as she made Eugene put the man in a chamber, and then get in one himself.

He listened to the three of them talk amongst themselves.

And he watched as everything the witch worked on started to go wrong. He saw her try to regain control, he watched as she listened to the unknown man in the chamber shout at her. He watched her as she tried to get something out of her dress.

And that was when the blue glowing see-through man, appeared out of thin air.

* * *

The glowing blue man enveloped the witch in a bright blue light that seemed to prevent her from moving.

"So," the glowing blue man said. "Lost our nerve, have we? Well it's a good thing I'm here then!"

A dark look of hatred came over Gothels face.

"Rassilon!" She hissed. "What are you doing here!"

"I'm simply here to make sure that my resurrection takes place. You pathetic old crone. I listened to what you and the Doctor had to say. Apparently I am all that is left of Rassilon."

"Really, Rani. Did you think ANYTHING could happen on Gallifrey without MY knowledge! I. AM. RASSILON! High Architect of the Time Lord Race! The only TRUE immortal in EXISTENCE!"

"I cannot DIE! I. WILL. NOT. DIE!" The Hologram shouted maniacally.

Indicating the machinery around him he continued on in his mania. "When I learned of Romana's plans, I made sure that the complete mental imprints of myself and the rest of the high council were hidden deep inside the machinery. So that when this day came, we could be fully resurrected if the war came to a bad end."

"And the best part of it is, it will come at the Doctor's own life!" The Hologram began to laugh.

"Kill him and the thief if you must, Rassilon. Just spare my daughter! That's all I ask." The Rani pleaded.

"You pathetic, vile creature. We will need ALL of the time lord essence in order for me to return!"

Grinning maliciously, the Hologram of Rassilon continued on. "But don't worry, my dear Rani, for when I am once again whole, I can assure you, that you will quickly join her."

Well, little Pascal had heard enough. He wasn't going to let anyone hurt his best friend. So quickly scurrying down to the control panel. He pressed the buttons he had watched the Rani press.

The Extractor chamber door began to open, and Rapunzel's limp form fell out of the chamber. Warning lights began going off all over the lab.

The Hologram of Rassilon blinked out, and the Rani was able to break free of the confinement beam she had been trapped in.

Quick as a snake she whipped around and using the Doctors screwdriver, she opened Eugene's and the Doctors Extraction chambers. Both of them also tumbled out onto the floor.

She tossed the screwdriver to the Doctor who deftly caught it. "The whole system is in overload, I can shut it down, but I'll need you at the control panel inside The SIDRAT to help me!"

Eugene started to head over to where Rapunzel lay on the floor, but the Doctor stopped him.

"Eugene, come with me. I'm going to need an extra pair of hands to shut this thing down!"

"But Doctor! Rapunzel's hurt!" He said, roughly pulling way from the Time Lord.

"Eugene listen to me! If we don't shut this thing down it will explode and kill everyone for MILES around. Please! I need your help!" The Doctor pleaded with him.

Eugene hesitated for a moment, never taking his eyes off of Rapunzel.

"Go Eugene." The Rani shouted as she worked feverishly at the controls to try and shut the system down before it would explode. "You know that's what she would want you to do!"

Eugene looked coldly at the Rani for a moment. Finally he turned to the Doctor. "Let's go."

Both him and the Doctor ran out of the lab.

A few minutes later, The Doctor's voice came on over the loud speaker.

"Rani can you hear me? We're all set at our end. Are you ready?"

She hesitated for a moment, but then spoke up. "Yes, Doctor I'm ready here. I am going to shunt the extra power to the SIDRAT now so you can safely bleed it off."

"Good-bye, Doctor."

"Rani, whats wrong!" The Doctor anxiously asked, but The Rani turned off the speaker.

The problem was that in order to shunt the power to the SIDRAT it would have to go through the subsystems that powered the Hologram.

Rassilon would come back.

"Lets get this over with." she said to herself, and shunted the power to the Doctor.

Instantly the Hologram of Rassilon came back up.

"You stupid old woman! What have you done!" He shouted in anger as he pointed his staff at her.

The Rani felt a force field come up and envelop her throat. It lifted her off the ground. The hologram strode over to where she hung suspended. "Why would you stop this? How did you become so enamored with this pathetic and barbaric backwards race? You have been here far too long. You even consider one of the animals you experimented on as your daughter! how pathetic indeed." The Hologram said his voice dripping with disgust.

"Get bent you overbearing blowhard. Oh, and Omega was better than you also." The Rani said.

Angered, the Hologram threw the Rani across the lab, where she slammed into a far wall. Then he picked her up and threw her again into the extraction chamber that had once housed Rapunzel.

The Rani flew through the extraction chamber shattering it. ending up in a bloody mess next to her daughter.

"I may not have much time before the Doctor returns, Rani, but I'm going to give you a little gift." He reached down with his holographic staff and touched her. Power ripped into the Rani and she screamed in pain. "I'm going to give you back your remaining regenerations. So I can kill you and then kill you again and again until they run out!" The hologram gloated.

The Rani glowed a bright golden light and when it died all of her injuries were repaired.

"Ready?" The Hologram asked gleefully. "Time to die."

A small blur smacked into the holograms hand, deflecting the blast that came from the tip of Rassilon's staff.

"What is this!" The Hologram asked in anger.

It grabbed at the small form that kept trying to bite him. The hologram lifted it up.

It was Pascal.

"You insignificant bug! How DARE you defy the will of Rassilon!" The Hologram tightened his fist, crushing the tiny lizard.

Tossing the small corpse over his shoulder. Rassilon once again pointed his staff at the Rani.

"Unfortunately I can sense the Doctor is at the control panel that can override my subsystems. So I guess I'll just have to kill you all the way right now."

He once again pointed his staff at the Rani. and fired a tightly focused disruption beam at her.

"No!" shouted the figure that jumped in the way. The Bolt hit the small figure knocking it back across the floor.

Apoplectic rage flooded over the face of Rassilon! "Nooooo-!" It shouted just before it blinked out of existence for the final time.

Quickly, the Rani got up and hurried over the where the small form lay.

It was Rapunzel.

She lay there making pitiful mewling sounds of pain. The Rani gently rolled her over.

"Let me see Rapunzel." The Rani said as she gently pried her daughters hands away from the wound. A large and ugly burn crater centered on her belly, smoked and dripped blood that was quickly pooling around her waist.

"Rapunzel, listen to me." The Rani said in a shaken voice. "You have to concentrate. Remember the song I taught you! If you concentrate hard enough, you can reach the magic deep inside you. You can heal yourself."

Rapunzel seemed to try, but nothing happened. "Rapunzel please!" The Rani cried out in desperation.

"I- I can't feel the magic any more mother." Rapunzel said opening her eyes, sweat breaking out on her waxy and pale face. "I think the machine took all of it."

Tears began to run down the Rani's face "Oh Rapunzel,why did you do it? After everything I did to you? Why?" She asked plaintively.

"Be-because you raised me." Rapunzel replied in a quivering, pain filled voice. "Because your still my mother, and I still love you."

The Rani hugged Rapunzel tightly to her."I love you very much too, my dear."

Rapunzel smiled a little at that. "I love you m-more."

"I love your most, my flower" The Rani replied as she kissed Rapunzel on the head for the last time.

"Mother... the pain's going away. Am I getting better? Rapunzel asked in a slowly weakening voice.

She was suddenly quite still.

"Rapunzel?" The Rani asked. Shaking her daughter violently the Rani shouted "Rapunzel! Wake up! You've got to wake up! Please!"

But all Rapunzel could do was stare far off into something that no one else could see.


	8. Chapter Seven

**CHAPTER SEVEN**

The Doctor and Eugene ran back into the lab to find the Rani sitting on the floor, rocking the body of Rapunzel gently back and forth.

"Rani, what happened here?" The Doctor asked her quietly.

"Rassilon was about to kill me, when she jumped in front of me." She looked up at the Doctor, her eyes full of pain and agony. "After everything I did to her, she still loved me enough to save me."

"Rapunzel?" Eugene said quietly as he fell to his knees in front of the Rani and Rapunzel. He shakily reached out and touched his wife's face.

She was cold.

"No, no, no, no, no!" Eugene began repeating as he tore Rapunzel out of the Rani's grasp. "Please, please wake up Rapunzel. Please."

The Rani got up and crossed over to the Doctor and fell into his arms crying. The Doctor, his eyes full of tears, held her tightly to him. "I'm so sorry Rani. I truly am."

"I am too Doctor. And I'm sorry for this."

The Rani pulled away from the Doctor and levelled her blaster at him once more, stunning him unconscious.

"Why did you do that!" Eugene shouted.

"Listen to me Eugene, I can still save Rapunzel! But I'll need your help!" The Rani said quickly.

"What!" Eugene asked thoroughly confused. "But what about the Doctor?"

"He would have tried to stop us. That's why I had to stun him again." The Rani said as she picked up the body of Rapunzel and set her inside one of the remaining extraction chambers. The Rani crossed over to the control panel and began to quickly flick and twist dials and switches. "Eugene, most of the system is damaged. I'll need you to hold Rapunzel up as close to the center of the chamber as possible."

"But why? What are you going to do?" Eugene asked as he quickly entered the chamber where Rapunzel lay.

"I'm going to transfer the rest of my remaining regenerations to Rapunzel. I've only used two of mine, so there should be enough Artron energy left to fully heal her and bring her back!"

"No, I can't let you do this! Rapunzel wouldn't want you to do this!" Eugene said.

The Rani flipped a switch and the door to the chamber they were in closed. "Well tough. I'm her mother, so she's just going to have to do as I say."

Pressing a few more buttons, The Rani activated the system. She crossed over to the remaining extraction chamber and got in. The door closed behind her.

The Doctor slowly started to come to. He opened his eyes painfully to see what was going on.

He saw both extraction chambers at work.

He saw the Rani, standing in one of the extraction shambers, with the body of Rapunzel and Eugene in the other.

Saw the golden glow of her Artron energy being taken from her and transferred to the chamber that held Rapunzel and Eugene.

"Rani! Don't!" he said as he tried to get up from the floor.

The Rani smiled at the Doctor one last time. She pressed a hand against the interior of the glass chamber. "Good-bye Doctor. Remember me, and tell Rapunzel how much I loved her."

And with that, as the final bit of Artron energy left her, she turned to dust once more.

Both extraction chamber doors opened. The doctor crossed over to the one that held the remains of the Rani. He sadly and quietly looked down into it.

"Eugene? What happened?" he heard a small female voice ask.

Turning around, he saw Eugene holding Rapunzel in his arms. Alive.

And this time, both of their hair was golden blonde.

Suddenly the lab began to shake, dust fell from the ceiling.

"Everybody out! The whole place is coming down!" The Doctor shouted to the two of them.

As they raced to the hall leading out of the lab, Rapunzel spied poor little Pascals small, broken body.

"Oh, no. Pascal!" She said as she picked up his small broken form.

"Hurry!" The Doctor said as he pushed them both into the hallway. "We don't have much time!"

They all raced out of the collapsing lab and into the open air. The sounds of rocks and machinery smashing together followed them.

Looking around the deserted meadow, Rapunzel spoke up. "Where are we?"

"We're back at the Tower where you spent most of your life." Eugene replied.

"Never mind that now!" The Doctor said as he looked at the collapsed entrance of the lab. "Without the equipment that was inside the Rani's lab, I can't come up with a cure for Maximus!"

"What's wrong with Maximus?" Rapunzel asked concerned.

"He was infected with some deadly spores, but without the equipment from the lab, I can't come up with an antidote!"

Turning around, the Doctor placed his hands on Rapunzel's shoulders. "I'm sorry Rapunzel, but there's nothing I can do to save him now."

As her eyes began filling with tears, Rapunzel looked down at her hands. They held the small broken body that had once been her best friend for many years.

Suddenly she looked up at the Doctor, defiance and determination burning bright in her eyes.

"No." She said strongly.

"What?" The Doctor said taken aback.

"I. Said. NO!" Rapunzel shouted. " There have been too many deaths today! Way too many people have died! Age old friends, brave guards, and loving step-mothers! And I am telling you! I am telling you right now! I am not having one more death! You got that! Not one!"

And with that, she pushed past both Eugene and the Doctor, whom both just stood and stared at her.

Turning around she looked at them. "Well come on!"

"Oh, right." The Doctor said as both he and Eugene hurried to catch up. "Coming!"

* * *

They rode back quickly to the castle. There they found Maximus still laying on the floor, surrounded by concerned staff and guards, who were doing their best to try and keep him alive.

Seeing the Princess return, Maximus tried to get up.

"Easy, boy, take it easy." Rapunzel said she she knelt down to where Maximus lay. She gently rubbed his neck.

"Eugene, come here and give me your hand." Rapunzel said she she reached up to her husband.

Going over the where his wife knelt, he too knelt down and took her hand.

"What are you going to do?" He asked.

"I need you to place your other hand on Maximus' neck and concentrate on him getting better." She replied. He complied.

And with that she began to sing.

_"Flower gleam and glow.  
Let your power shine.  
Make the clock reverse.  
Bring back what once was mine._

_Heal what has been hurt._  
_Change the fate's design._  
_Save what has been lost._  
_Bring back what once was mine,_  
_what once was mine"_

Slowly, Both Eugene and Rapunzel began to glow. Bright gold energy ribbons began to emanate from Maximus' body. They all glowed brighter and brighter until everyone had to look away.

As the glow slowly faded, everyone turned around to look again.

Maximus quickly got up, fully healed. He neighed at the princess and rubbed her with his neck.

Rapunzel quickly wrapped her arms around his big strong neck and buried her face against it. "I'm glad your back too."

Looking at Eugene, she took in her husband and his new golden locks.

"Did I ever tell you I have a thing for blondes?" She asked as they both hugged each other fiercely.

* * *

As the day wore down, Eugene and Rapunzel both walked the Doctor to where his TARDIS sat in the courtyard.

"It's amazing Doctor! My head is just swirling with all these new ideas! I can barely keep them straight!" Rapunzel said as she walked alongside him, holding her husbands hand.

"Yes. Well, you not only got her regenerative energy, Rapunzel you also got a bit of her mind. The Rani was one of the most brilliant people I ever knew."The Doctor replied as they reached the TARDIS. "Also, keep in mind that little healing trick won't work forever. The energy inside of you IS limited."

"I know Doctor." Rapunzel replied.

"Well then, here we are at last I suppose," the Doctor said as they all looked at the unassuming form of the Time Ship.

"Could I see inside? I mean, I sort of understand what a TARDIS is and all, but," Rapunzel asked hopefully.

Smiling the Doctor opened the door and gestured them both inside.

Eugene and Rapunzel both entered the TARDIS, their eyes full of wonder and amazement.

"But-" Eugene said as he looked around the control room and tried to take it all in. "But, it's bigger on the inside!"

Rapunzel gave a little squeak of joy and ran around the control room. "This is AMAZING! This is actually another dimension, right Doctor?"

"Correct Rapunzel." He said, smiling, as he strode up next to where she stood by the control console.

"And this," She said as she reached out and flipped a lever "Is the door control, right!"

"No! That's the friction contrafibulator!" The Doctor said as he quickly yanked the lever back.

With the Doctor looking at her dis-approvingly, Rapunzel meekly said "Sorry."

"It's bigger on the inside." Eugene said still trying to get his head around around that fact.

"Come on Eugene, we've moved past that part." The Doctor said.

Turning to face the doctor, Rapunzel suddenly enveloped him in a huge hug. "I'm sorry about you losing Mother Gothel. I know she was the last of your kind."

"Well, thank-you Rapunzel." The Doctor said as he slowly hugged her back. "You know, I had a daughter once, not too long ago. You remind me a great deal of her."

"Where is she now?" Rapunzel asked still hugging the doctor.

"I'm- I'm afraid she's gone as well." The Doctor said in a husky voice.

He didn't think it was possible, but somehow her hug got even tighter!

"Oof!" The Doctor said, looking at Eugene.

"What can I say Doc? She's a hugger." Eugene said.

Letting go of the Doctor, Rapunzel walked over to where Eugene stood. "You could always stay with us, Doctor." Rapunzel said, looking at Doctor. "We have plenty of spare rooms in the castle."

"Or," The Doctor said fiddling with one of the controls of the TARDIS. "You could, maybe, come with me?"

Looking out the open doors of the TARDIS, Rapunzel looked at the castle that was framed by them.

"I'm sorry, Doctor. But I have duties and responsibilities here I have to look after."

"Of course, of course." The Doctor said, never looking at them.

"You will always have a place with us here Doctor, I hope you know that." Rapunzel said.

"I know." The Doctor replied quietly.

Anyways," he said inhaling deeply, "I suppose I'd better be off then."

Rapunzel quickly crossed over to him once again and gave him a final chest crushing hug.

"Good-bye Doctor." Rapunzel said as she buried her face in his chest.

"Good bye, Rapunzel." The Doctor said gently.

"Oh! I think I just came up with the electric motor!" Rapunzel said as she let go of the Doctor and started walking back to the TARDIS doors.

Eugene came over and extended a hand to the Doctor. The Doctor took Eugene's hand only to be pulled into a fierce embrace by Eugene.

"Thanks for saving my wife, Doc." Eugene whispered.

"You're welcome." The Doctor whispered back.

And with that, Eugene turned around and joined his wife outside.

"Eugene you've got to see this!" Rapunzel said as she turned around to watch the TARDIS.

"See what?" Eugene said as he turned around also.

The light atop the TARDIS began to flash, and a loud grinding noise seemed to emanate from the blue box. The sound and the blue box, both slowly faded away.

Eugene stared at the spot where the TARDIS used to be, dumbfounded.

Racing back towards the castle, Rapunzel said, "Come on Eugene! I have to write all these new ideas down before I forget them!"

"Coming dear," Eugene said as he followed his wife.

* * *

Much later and more solemnly, Rapunzel and Eugene were in a secluded spot in the garden.

Rapunzel held a beautifully hand made wooden box that contained the body of her little friend Pascal.

She gently placed it in the earth and covered it up.

"Good-bye Pascal. When I was a lonely little girl, your were my best and only friend in the whole wide world. I'll never forget you. Never." She said as tears ran down her face.

"Come on Rapunzel, It's getting late." Eugene said quietly, as he put his arm around his mourning wife. "We should go to bed. We have a big day tomorrow."

Quietly, they headed back into the castle.

Later that night however, in the spot where Pascal was buried, A bright golden glow started to emanate.

It slowly died down. A few minutes later, up from the ground popped Pascal. Except this time he was bigger and even had three horns on his face! Oh, he couldn't wait to show Rapunzel!

So the little lizard strode off to the castle in search of his best friend.

A little while later A high piercing male scream came from the royal bed chambers.

"Pascal! Your back!" Rapunzel shouted joyfully.

**THE END**


	9. Epilogue

**EPILOGUE**

"Grandma!" The littlest royal shouted as she ran into her Grandmothers arms. Queen Rapunzel scooped up her grandchild Princess Kaitlin and whirled her about the room, much to the giggling delight of her granddaughter.

"Mother!" Princess Elect Leanne said as she ran over to hug her mother. "When did you get in? Was Father able to make it this year?"

"I just got in, my dear after a punishing 18 hour ride, in that poor excuse for a car! I'm officially inventing the airplane this year, thats for sure!" Rapunzel said as she put her granddaughter back down and hugged her daughter. "Your father will be in time for the ceremony tomorrow. He's still negotiating with the Karlains to officially join the Kingdom. He says they're going to join, they just have to make it look like they're hard bargainers to save face with their people."

"I never understood why they held out for so long. I mean the advances you've made in all scientific fields, especially medicine. Most of the surrounding countries were falling over themselves to join if only to get their hands on out technology." Prince Regent David said as he entered the room.

"David!" Rapunzel said as she went over and hugged him tight. "Well the Karlains have to be the most stubborn people on this planet. Which is why I sent Eugene, I figured they should get a taste of their own medicine!"

The whole family laughed at that. They all retired to the smaller side hall to catch up.

"So Princess Leanne, how has it been, dealing with Parliament this year?" Rapunzel asked her daughter with an impish smile on her face.

"Ugh!" Leanne said with a frustrated sigh. "I thought Parliament was supposed to decrease my workload, not add to it!"

"Well they're as new to all this as you are. I thought many times of 'inventing' Parliament during my Reign, but I knew the people weren't ready yet. Trust me. You don't know how easy you have it my dear." Rapunzel admonished her daughter.

"I know, I know. My work load has decreased. My stress levels however..." Princess Leanne said in a semi pouting voice. "You could always declare for the throne again you know. I wouldn't stop you."

"Oh no. I always wondered why MY parents abdicated so quickly after I married Eugene. It only took my first day on the throne to realize just how much hard work it was. I suspect that's why they moved all they way across the country to Riverside, So I couldn't easily call them back. Hah! I showed them though, by inventing the telephone!"

Princess Kaitlin, who had been playing with Pascal got up and crawled into her grandmothers lap. "Grandma, will he really come tonight?" She asked.

"Yes my dear, tomorrow night is the Festival of Remembrance. He always drops off a special lantern for the whole family to light on that night." Rapunzel said as she bounced her granddaughter on her lap.

"Do you think I'll be able to see him?" Kaitlin said as she started to fall asleep.

"Well that's usually up to him." Rapunzel whispered to the now sleeping form gently snoring in her arms. Rapunzel motioned for a maid to come over and take the littlest princess off to bed. She told the woman to let her sleep in the room closest to lantern chamber for the night.

* * *

Princess Kaitlin woke up to a faint grinding noise coming from the hallway. She got up out of bed, and went to the door and opened it, with Pascal sitting on her shoulder. From the Lantern chamber she saw a pulsing light coming from beneath the door. Tiptoeing over to the chamber door she quietly opened it.

And there, as in the stories told to her by her grandmother, was the Big Blue Box (Although it wasn't really.) And putting a light blue lantern on the rooms only pedestal was a tall skinny man in a brown coat.

The man must have heard the door open because he turned around and smiled at her. Kneeling down he spoke. "Hello, you must be Kaitlin. I'm the Doctor."

"Are you really him!" Kaitlin asked her voice full of wonder.

"The last time I checked." The Doctor said. "How old are you now? Your what, five?"

Proudly holding up six fingers, Princess Kaitlin told the Doctor "I'm six and half years old. Soon I'll be seven!"

"Well then, perhaps I should give you this now then, Hmmmm?" The Doctor said as he reached into a coat pocket and pulled out a small glowing blue stone. "This is a singing stone from Rigel IV. If you put it under your pillow at night before you go to sleep, You will always have good dreams."

"What do you say when someone gives you a gift Kaitlin?" Her Grandmother asked from the doorway.

"Thank-you Doctor." Kaitlin said as she hugged the Doctor.

"There's a good girl." The Doctor said as he hugged her back.

"I think you'd better get back to bed little one." Rapunzel said "We all have a big day tomorrow."

"Okay" Little Kaitlin said "G'night Doctor."

"Good night Kaitlin," The Doctor said as the little girl closed the door behind her.

"So are you ever going to take up my offer of a spare room? We still have plenty." Rapunzel said to the man who had looked over her family for most of her life.

"I'm afraid not, in fact this may be the last time that I'll be able to come here." The Doctor said solemnly.

"Why?" Is there anything I can do to help?" Rapunzel said in a worried voice. Concern on her face for her friend.

"No my dear Rapunzel, I just have to do something that I'm afraid I've been putting off for far to long now." The Doctor said quietly. "In fact it's my next destination."

Fighting back tears, Rapunzel simply said. "Well then, I can't let you go off without some gifts. Just wait here for a moment will you?"

She disappeared from the room for a moment, but then came back.

"This." She said as she put a garland of brightly coloured flowers around his neck. "Is a friendship wreath from the Isle of Tristan. It's said that this arrangement brings good luck. And this" She said as she put a beautifully made straw hat on his head, "Is something Eugene had made specially for you from the same island people."

"Hang on just a tic," The Doctor said as he pulled out his brainy specs and sonic'd them into a pair of sunglasses and put them on. "How do I look?" He asked smiling.

"Fabulous!" Rapunzel said as she tried to fight back tears. "Just fabulous."

"Well then, I guess it's time for me to go." The Doctor said quietly.

As always, Rapunzel wrapped him up into a big hug. Possibly the biggest one yet.

"Good-bye Father." Rapunzel said as the tears started flowing freely down her face.

"Good-bye My dear. I'm so proud of you." The Doctor said his, voice heavy.

And with that, Rapunzel turned and left the lantern chamber, closing the doors behind her. She leaned against them as the sound of the TARDIS faded away.

She cried the rest of the night.

* * *

Later on the next evening, the whole family gathered on the main balcony. Little Kaitlin held the light blue family sky lantern. With the royal seal on one side and the outline of a TARDIS on the other.

Approaching the podium, Queen Rapunzel stepped up to the mike and spoke.

_To the Time Lords of old, who have long since passed._

_You gave us the Rani. And for that we give thanks_

_To the People of Gallifrey, who have long since passed._

_You gave us the Doctor. And for that we give thanks._

_We give thanks, and we remember you all._

_We will never forget!_

Little Kaitlin lit the family sky lantern and set it aloft. This was the signal and everyone gathered in the kingdom lit their own and set them aloft as well.

And with heads bowed solemnly the entire royal family held hands.

And glowed a bright golden hue that cut through the night. For this was their promise to a long dead race.

And to one member of that race in particular.

**FIN?**


End file.
